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Discipleship Intern with those addicted in India

This is hands-on discipleship! Be Jesus to those longing to be free from addiction by working, living and worshipping alongside those whose broken lives are being restored.

Serve on worship teams, apply business skills in Betel’s charitable businesses, and more. Whatever your skill, Betel’s diverse ministry environment will put it to work. Betel provides its workers with free board and lodging as a working member of our community.

About Betel – rescuing those addicted

Betel began in Madrid in 1985 when a small group of WEC missionaries began to care for the needs of drug addicts and marginalized people living on the streets.

Today Betel has become a global phenomenon, established in over 100 urban areas in 23 countries worldwide.

Betel’s mission is to bring long-term freedom and restoration to men and women broken by drug and alcohol abuse. Betel accomplish this by building values, skills and character through living, working and worshipping together in a caring Christian community.

Each Betel residential centre is run by men and women who have themselves experienced freedom from addiction.

"Our end goal is to help people not only escape addiction, but become productive, trustworthy men and women of character when they leave our community. We believe that life is never hopeless." Anthony heads up Betel Manchester. Read Anthony's story

About India

India is in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country (with over 1.3 billion people), and the most populous democracy in the world. In 2017, the Indian economy was the world’s sixth largest by GDP.

It is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast; and Myanmar (Burma) and Bangladesh to the east.

In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.

The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi which translates as “The people of the Indus River”. Hindustan is a Persian name for India dating back to the 3rd century BC. It was introduced into India by the Mughals and widely used since then. It can refer to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan, or India in its entirety.

Indian cultural history spans more than 4,500 years. Much of Indian architecture, including the Taj Mahal blends ancient local traditions with imported styles.

The Indian film industry produces the world’s most-watched cinema. South Indian cinema attracts more than 75% of national film revenue.

Indian cuisine encompasses a wide variety of regional and traditional cuisines, often depending on a particular state. Staple foods of Indian cuisine include pearl millet, rice, whole-wheat flour and a variety of lentils. The spice trade between India and Europe is often cited by historians as the primary catalyst for Europe's exploration of the globe.

Family values are important in the Indian tradition, and multi-generational patriarchal joint families have been the norm in India, though nuclear families are becoming common in urban areas.

India has played a major role in popularising cricket. Thus, cricket is, by far, the most popular sport in India.

India is notable for its religious diversity, with Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism among the nation's major religions.

New India is youthful, ambiticious, cosmopolitan and modern. 70% of India is under 35 and 31% under 15 - they will shape India’s future. They are a hugely significant group to share the hope of the gospel with.[Operation World, 2010 print edition]

Please pray with us forReligious freedomStudents and young peoplePoverty affects hundreds of millionsWomen and children suffer disproportionallyWisdom for those working in a caste systemThe worlds least reached peoples live in IndiaChristian mediaBible translation[Operation World, 2010 print edition]

WEC is involved in ministry in a number of ways, including through Betel, WEC’s ministry to addicts.

In India Betel is known as Asha Bhawan. Asha Bhawan is not simply a rehabilitation centre; it is fundamentally about making disciples for Christ.

Residents engage with a comprehensive discipleship program including daily devotionals, whole church gatherings (many attended by members of the local community), small group study meetings and Bible study classes for longer term members. Praise, worship and the word of God sit centrally at the heart of our communities.

Members of the community are also given increasing responsibilities, learning not only to be in control of themselves but also developing the skills to lead others along the path of restoration in Christ.

WEC is a Registered Charity in England, Wales & Scotland numbers 237005 and SCO37715. Our international site is: wecinternational.org

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